Southwest Finland
| settlement_type = Region | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_shield = Varsinais-Suomen.vaakuna.svg | shield_size = | shield_alt = | nickname = | motto = | image_map = Varsinais-Suomi in Finland.svg | mapsize = 150px | map_alt = | map_caption = Finland Proper on a map of Finland | latd = |latm = |lats = |latNS = N | longd = |longm = |longs = |longEW = E | coordinates_type = region:FI_type:adm2nd_source:GNS-enwiki | coordinates_display = inline,title | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = Finland | subdivision_type1 = Historical province | subdivision_name1 = Finland Proper | area_total_km2 = 10910.05 | population_footnotes = | population_total = 470,880 | population_as_of = 2011 | population_density_km2 = auto | timezone1 = EET | utc_offset1 = +2 | timezone1_DST = EEST | utc_offset1_DST = +3 | blank_name_sec1 = NUTS | blank_info_sec1 = 183 | blank_name_sec2 = Regional bird | blank_info_sec2 = Jackdaw | blank1_name_sec2 = Regional fish | blank1_info_sec2 = Baltic herring | blank2_name_sec2 = Regional flower | blank2_info_sec2 = Oak | iso_code = FI-19 | website = varsinais-suomi.fi | footnotes = }} Southwest Finland, also known in English as 'Finland Proper'The regional council of the region uses the name "Southwest Finland". Despite this, the Language Planning Department of Finland recommends the name "Varsinais-Suomi" as suggested in the statement by the Interior Ministry of Finland in 1988. The Institute for Languages of Finland lists the official English name as "Varsinais-Suomi". ( , ) is the bilingual region in south-western Finland that borders the regions of Satakunta, Tavastia Proper, Åland and Uusimaa. Its capital and biggest city is Turku with 182,000 inhabitants, which was also the capital of Finland from its establishment around the 13th century until 1812. The area comprising the southwest is largely the same as the historical province of Finland Proper, so named because it is the original home of the tribe known as the Finns. 5.7% of population of the region speaks Swedish natively. Origin of the name The name of Finland Proper has a historial function. In historic times, in the area of the present southern Finland lived three tribes, which were the Finns, the Tavastians and the Karelians. The southwestern part of the country, the province where the Finns lived, was called simply Finland (Finnish: Suomi). In the 17th century the name began to be used to refer to the whole land and a specified name for the lesser Finland was required. The first notes Fennigia specialiter dicta and Fennigia presse dicta were recorded in Latin in the 1650s and the Swedish Finland för sig sielft and Egenteliga Finland later in the 18th century the modern form Egentliga Finland being in official use at the end of the century. The Finnish term Varsinais-Suomi became established only around the 1850s. Historical Provinces Municipalities The region of Varsinais-Suomi is made up of 28 municipalities, of which 11 are towns. Towns Other municipalities Politics Results of the Finnish parliamentary election, 2015 in Finland Proper: *National Coalition Party 21.0% *Finns Party 19.3% *Centre Party 16.2% *Social Democratic Party 15.5% *Left Alliance 10.3% *Green League 8.7% *Swedish People's Party 5.0% *Christian Democrats 2.4% * Other parties 1.6% Heraldry The region uses the coat of arms of the historical province of Finland Proper. Gallery File:Turku Cathedral profile.jpg|Turku Cathedral dating back to the 13th century is Finland's national shrine and one of Finland's most recognized buildings File:Turku Archipelago.jpg|A typical view from Turku Archipelago, the largest archipelago (by number of islands) in the world File:Louhisaari Manor 1989.jpg|Louhisaari Manor in Masku was the birthplace of Finland's marshal and president Mannerheim File:Liedon Vanhalinna, näkymä Turusta, Haagasta.jpg|The Old Castle of Lieto and rural landscape File:Naantalin kirkko, Naantali, 29.9.2008..JPG|Naantali Harbour with the former Bridgettine monastery church in the background File:View from Turku Cathedral tower.jpg|A general view of the City of Turku from the tower of the cathedral File:Bengtskar lighthouse.JPG|Bengtskär Lighthouse in Kimitoön is the highest one in the Nordic countries File:Lieto, Nautelankoski, 13.9.07 (6).JPG|Nautelankoski Rapids in River Aura in Lieto File:Turku Castle.jpg|The medieval Turku Castle on the banks of River Aura is one of the most influential buildings in Finnish history File:Muumimaailma naantali 11.jpeg|Moomin World, Naantali File:Kalkkikaivos, Parainen, 22.7.07.JPG|A limestone quarry in Pargas File:Uusikaupunki town bay.jpg|Historical salt warehouses in Uusikaupunki town centre File:Muntin museosilta, Taivassalo, 22.10.JPG|A bridge from 1850 in Taivassalo File:Korpo kyrka, den 28 juni 2007, bild 75.JPG|Korpo Church; there are 25 remaining medieval churches in the region File:Klosterbacken husrad.jpg|Luostarinmäki Handicrafts Museum is an 18th-century district of the city that survived the Great Fire of Turku which burnt down four-fifths of the city in 1827 File:Turku Vappu 2008 caps.jpg|May Day celebrations in Turku centre; the Arts Museum on the top of Street Aurakatu File:Lossi saaristo.jpg|Traffic connections between islands are mostly served with ferries in the archipelago File:Karuna Church 2.jpg|The National Romantic style Karuna Church File:Salo - kesäkuu 2015-33.jpg|The mobile phone manufacturer Microsoft had originally its factory and headquarters in Salo; state-of-the-art models are still manufactured there File:Rauhankatu Humalistonkatu.JPG|A street view in Turku; old wooden houses and modern block of flats File:Eksyssuo.JPG|Marshland in Loimaa File:Mannerheiminkatu Naantali.jpg|Naantali Old Town has been well preserved File:Paimio Sanatorium.jpg|The functionalistic Paimio Sanatorium by Alvar Aalto File:Viljavarasto2.JPG|A silo in Salo; the region still has a strong agricultural feel File:Uusikaupunki Myllymäki.jpg|Windmills in Uusikaupunki File:MS Silja Europa leaving Turku.jpg|The popular ferries travel twice a day around the year from Turku to Stockholm, Sweden File:Kuusisto castle ruins 20050207.jpg|Ruins of the medieval Kuusisto Bishops' Castle demolished in 1528 during the Protestant Reformation in Kaarina File:Gamla malmen 2.jpg|Pargas Old Town File:Paimionjoki in Marttila.JPG|River Paimionjoki and rural landscape in Marttila File:Teijo church.JPG|Teijo Church in Salo is the smallest stone church in Finland Notes External links *Regional Council of Southwest Finland — Official website *South Finland EU Office Category:Southwest Finland Category:Western Finland Finland Proper